Alex Lifeson quit cannabis at 72 while preparing for Rush’s return to the road, saying he wanted better focus, discipline, memory, and mental sharpness. After decades of openly enjoying weed, he says the change has been unexpectedly positive—even if he initially hoped it wouldn’t be.
At 72, after decades of having a pretty open relationship with weed, Alex Lifeson decided to quit. It wasn’t a sudden moral awakening or a newfound problem with cannabis. The Rush guitarist simply wanted his brain—and his playing—as sharp as possible, according to Far Out.
The decision came while Lifeson was preparing for Fifty Something, Rush’s first tour since 2015 and the band’s long-awaited return to the road following the death of legendary drummer Neil Peart in 2020. Lifeson is touring alongside longtime bandmate Geddy Lee and German drummer Anika Nilles, who took on one of rock music’s most daunting roles.
And, as he put it, getting ready meant taking a hard look at some long-standing habits.
“I thought, this is interfering with the way my brain should be working, and the kind of focus and discipline that all of a sudden I really wanted to have in my life,” Lifeson told Rolling Stone in a recent interview.
So he cleared out his stash.
Lifeson Says Quitting Weed Improved His Memory
This wasn’t exactly a casual tolerance break.
In the interview, Lifeson said he went through his home collecting jars of weed, pipes and other smoking gear and tossing everything into a garbage bag. When he came across a container of pre-rolls in his studio, he briefly considered keeping them before deciding that it would defeat the purpose. By the end, he said, the bag was full of pipes, bongs and weed.
That’s notable considering Lifeson has never …
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Author: Camila Berriex / High Times
